A disabled pensioner died in a house fire today despite her son's efforts to save her.But brave Jason Crane managed to save three children from the flames by using a ladder to get them out of an upstairs window.

A disabled pensioner died in a house fire today despite her son's efforts to save her.

But brave Jason Crane managed to save three children from the flames by using a ladder to get them out of an upstairs window.

Pauline Crane, 65, died after the fire broke out at Foxburrow Road, Sprowston, at 1.50am this morning.

Mr Crane was today being treated at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for a broken ankle and smoke inhalation. His condition was described as stable. The three children - Matthew, 17, Luke, 14 and Jake, 12 - have been discharged.

Firefighters today praised his quick-thinking, as an investigation was launched to discover the cause of the blaze.

Simon Mason, watch manager at Sprowston Fire Station, said: “The dad did really well - he managed to rescue the three kids through the back window with a ladder before we arrived at the scene. There is smoke damage to the left-hand side of the house and the right-hand side is completely gutted.”